Private Label Trends and Elevated At-Home Cocktails

In this edition of New Product Explorations, we take a look at convenient yet creative products highlighted at the 2016 Private Label Manufacturers Assoc. Show and learn about the path one company founder took to launch his line of shelf-stable juice-based cocktail mixers.

Authentic Convenience at the PLMA Show

Once upon a time, the words “private label” may have meant “generic” to some consumers. But these days, the products made by private label manufacturers are anything but. From interesting concepts to innovative flavors, private label offerings are competing with name brand options, and in some cases, coming out ahead. Private label retailers such as Trader Joe’s and Aldi enjoy a cult following among a range of demographics, including price-conscious Millennials and health-minded young parents. Mainstream grocery stores, meanwhile, have increasingly invested in their private label lines, and store brand sales reached an all-time high of $118.4 billion last year, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Assoc.’s (PLMA) 2016 Private Label Yearbook.

Today’s consumers have increasingly assigned value to foods that feel authentic, from regional spices and peppers like Hatch chilies to recipes inspired by local traditions; Millennials especially are interested in ethnically inspired products, according to Mintel’s Lynn Dornblaser during a presentation that took place at the 2016 National Restaurant Assoc. Show. Private label brands are drawing on global inspiration and creativity to equip home cooks with the tools they need to create a fresh take on home-cooked dishes and drinks. A variety of such products on display at this fall’s PLMA show highlighted their ability to provide authentic convenience and to result in dishes that consumers can feel good about making. Let’s take a look at a few examples:

Crêapan’s founder, Jan Vink, created his line of frozen, precooked crêpes because he couldn’t find anything as good as the ones his mother made, according to Rebecca Velázquez, client relations executive. He initially prepared them in his bathroom, using the showerhead to spray a consistent level of water onto his griddle before cooking each batch. These days, they are made in a state-of-the-art factory in Europe, along with a line of Dutch-inspired pancake bites. The filled crêpes can be served as is or doctored up to suit cooks’ needs, such as topped with berries or ice cream. A plain unfilled variety is also available and can be used in surprising ways, such as to construct the popular crêpe cake; the company had an example of this dessert on display.

Under a sign promoting the “quality, freshness, and authentic homemade taste” of its comfort food classics, Quebecois company St Hubert showcased a variety of its convenience products, including a frozen chicken pot pie. But its selection of poutine gravies—available in canned, fresh, and instant forms—allow consumers to prepare the popular Canadian dish at home. Users simply prepare the gravy and drizzle it over a bed of hot french fries and cheese curds.

The craft cocktail trend isn’t going anywhere, and sister companies Bittermilk and Tippleman’s have created mixers and syrups that let home mixologists create drinks that taste just as sophisticated as those found in their favorite fancy bars. Bittermilk sells a line of handcrafted cocktail mixers that center around a bittering agent and other ingredients that could be found behind the bar, says founder Joe Raya. Users simply mix with their favorite booze and shake or stir; varieties include Tom Collins With Elderflower & Hops and Charred Grapefruit Tonic with Bulls Bay Sea Salt. Tippleman’s, meanwhile, makes a line of “not quite simple syrups.” Raya explains that the hard work has already been done by the company, such as the small batch kettle cooking that’s used to create Burnt Sugar syrup; users can simply mix these syrups, which also include Barrel Smoked Maple Syrup and Ginger Honey, into their favorite drinks for an elevated cocktail that feels special but requires little effort to make.

Soavegel bills its new line of al Volo quick-serve frozen snack foods as Italian “streat” food, a play on the products’ street food origins; “al volo” translates to “on the fly.” The line include Il Panzerotto cheese and sauce–filled pizza bites, stuffed olives, and Mozzarella in Carrozza breaded, fried cheese sandwiches. Every product in the line can be ready in less than 10 minutes, according to Soavegel’s Giovanni Solazzo. These bites also draw on the continuing popularity of street food– and food truck–inspired products, which are in no danger of losing steam anytime soon, according to Innova Market Insights’ LuAnn Williams in a recent trends webinar.

Savory Creations’ Savory Choice Authentic Pho Broth liquid broth concentrates pack all the flavor of the traditional Vietnamese soup into a convenient, single-serve pouch. While pho broth is normally made by slowly simmering bones, spices, and other aromatics for many hours, these shortcuts let consumers create their own bowls by simply adding cooked noodles, meat, vegetables, and condiments, also answering consumers’ desire for dishes they can personalize according to their tastes and ingredient preferences. The product might also work well for families or friends with different dietary needs, as each person could choose his or her own base, available in chicken, beef, or vegetable. Each variety is free from gluten, MSG, and trans fats.

Phoenix Foods’ Just in Time Gourmet line “provides an assortment of products designed to make fantastic-tasting food right at home,” the company’s website reports, and its convenient products give consumers all the tools they need to prepare fun, on-trend sides, soups, and desserts. Home cooks simply add the fresh elements, such as mayonnaise, cream cheese, and sour cream. Options include BLT Dip, Caramel Apple Cheesecake, Chicken Enchilada Soup, and Tomato Basil Bread.

American Juice Co. Brings High-End Cocktails Home
While assistant concierge of the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C., Chris Wirth was impressed by the fruit-forward cocktails that appeared on the hotel bar’s menu. Created by Massimiliano Matté, a veteran mixologist with 15 years of bar consulting experience, these drinks drew on fresh, in-season fruit juices, such as lychee, mango, and pumpkin. Wirth realized that there was great potential to spread these products to other bars and restaurants.

Making Matté his partner, Wirth launched the American Juice Co. and began testing the duo’s creations among their friends and family as well as bartenders at some of New York City’s best restaurants and bars. They were a hit, and the team set up a sort of “milkman” delivery system to drop off fresh juices and pick up, sanitize, and reuse the empty bottles each week.

Wirth was happy about the product’s success in bars, but he also wanted to bring the mixers to a home audience. For this product, though, he had some other challenges to consider in creating a safe product without compromising the delicate flavors and colors of the juices. Wirth teamed up with a food scientist and decided on flash pasteurization to process the product; American Juice Co.’s website celebrates this process and describes the preservative-free, shelf-stable mixers as “nature + science.”

Before he could even begin manufacturing, though, Wirth realized he needed a HACCP plan. Deterred by how expensive it would be to work with a consultant on this project, Wirth discovered the Cornell Food Venture Center, where for $300 he enrolled in a course designed to help food creators develop their own HACCP plans. In addition to saving the $20,000 fee the consultant had wanted to charge, Wirth was also hired afterward by a major juice company to consult on its HACCP plan.

Wirth now works with a copacker in New Jersey on large production runs, filling 100 bottle per minute. He says that scaling up production from small batches involved some thinking, including finding consistent sources for high-quality ingredients and shifting his mindset to measure batches in grams and pounds versus quantities of fruits. He is satisfied with the finished products, which can be found in New York City Whole Foods and in Bed, Bath & Beyond stores nationwide, and the team is continuing to innovate new flavors. The mixers can be used with alcohol, soda water, or even in other culinary applications; he says they work well with ice cream, over pastry, in smoothies, and as marinades.

Most recently, Wirth introduced a subscription box called the American Cocktail Club. Each shipment includes everything you need to make four cocktails, including the mixer, a premium garnish, a sparkling component (such as ginger beer), and a recipe from a renowned U.S. bar.